The first book of the Moonburner Cycle follows 16-year-old Kai, whom has been hiding her
moonburner powers her whole life by disguising as a boy. By doing so, she managed to escape the Gleaming, a test to determine if she's a moonburner. Being a moonburner in Kita, the land of the sunburners, would mean instant death. Kai would have to keep up the ruse for 6 more months before she could escape to Miina and start her life as a moonburner soldier.
However, Kai is discovered as a moonburner while trying to save a girl from a fire. Her good deed doesn't do her any favour at all. Kai is sentenced to death. But Kai manages to escape. After a long journey and several near-death experiences, Kai arrives in Miina. There she immediately starts studying and practicing to become a skilled Miinan soldier. In doing so, Kai learns that the Miinan queen has a secret agenda. Will Kai be able to stop her?
I always love discovering new magic systems. This was no exception. The idea of sunburners only being able to burn during the day and moonburners during the night really spoke to me. It made the burners more vulnerable and comparable to the regular humans in the book, because their magic isn't completely independent.
I was able to connect with the side characters, even more so than with Kai. I especially loved Quitsu and master Vita. Kai on her own felt a bit flat to me, but her interaction with the others never seemed to bore me. And I have to admit, Kai's love interest stole my heart from the very beginning.
Moonburner is a fun, fast fantasy read. The magic system is not hard to understand so it's a great book if you just want to take your mind off things and read a bit. I did notice a few plot holes that bothered me, but they don't stop me from reading the rest of the series!
4 stars
PS Can I just say how beautiful the cover is?! I LOVE it
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Moonburner Cycle also contains the novella Burning Fate. Below is a short review of Burning Fate.
I read Burning Fate after Moonburner, and I have to say that I liked Burning Fate more. It is a book against the YA trope where love is chosen over duty and happens to be the right choice. Every. Single. Time. Burning Fate explains how choosing love over duty can have massive consequences and doesn't end well for all parties.
I highly recommend this novella to readers of the Moonburner Cycle, because it explains the full history of the almost-truce between Kita and Miina. You get to understand how Airi became the queen she was and why Azura made her choice.
4 stars
Next read: Sunburner, by Claire Luana